Dean Kukan Discussion Thread

[Old Guy]

Now that we had a couple hours to restore our collective heart rates......flush the alcohol from our systems and return to our proper medication levels, I would like to get an honest assessment of Dean Kukan.

It's so hard to get a proper evaluation from television. Especially when one of the blowhards with a mic is Pew McGuire. Everything that guy has ever seen is "amazing...stunning...the most whatever......" Sorry Pew...not every hockey play is the greatest ever....but I digress.

What are others seeing in Dean Kukan? Did he just hold his own? Did he step up from what we had seen from him previously? Has he strapped himself on the Bjorkstrand Bullet Express and also taken his game to the stratosphere? Did he and Texier both drink the magic elixir?

What do the Blue Jackets have here?

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[EspenK]

I struggle to see some of the good & bad in D men. The obvious I get, the subtleties not so much. I am trying to watch more closely and in Game 4 I saw Kukan make some nice plays that ordinarily I would have missed. Based on that and I'm sure what others who have sung his praises will say the Jackets have a good one here.

He's signed for next year at 725k so he's a bargain. Assuming Murray returns healthy next season & Gavrikov performs as advertised he will probably be a very serviceable 7th D.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I thought this was just gonna be about how to pronounce his last name.

 

[EspenK]

I thought this was just gonna be about how to pronounce his last name.

Now you're cookin'

 

[Monstershockey]

He was a solid defenseman for us. He seems to be bringing the puck up more, something he did more often in Cleveland. I don't know if Columbus didn't want him doing that or he just stopped, but he seemed to get away from that. Its nice to see him doing it again. I always thought he was pretty good at bringing the puck to the offensive zone.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

I think he's really good with the puck on his stick. He can effectively get through the neutral zone with his passing and skating ability. I think that alone sets him apart from Harrington, and he should stay in the lineup once Murray returns.

 

[Doggy]

I am a bit biased because I have been a Kukan fan since he was first called up in 2015-2016 (not that I am an expert). I don't feel like we are ever calling him out for obvious bad turnovers or poor positioning r being beaten by superior skill. There is no booming shot and he's not physically intimidating but he seems to move the puck up ice effectively.

He also made some key blocks on shots and closed off the passing lanes nicely. He seems to play well within Torts' systems and more than held his own vs the Bolts. I wonder if he is more than a serviceable #7 and more of a solid third pairing guy who can play up in the lineup for short stints if needed. He is just getting his confidence at 25 years old, I feel there could be more room for growth with experience.

I wonder if he gives the team a few more options on the back end going into the off-season to perhaps move a guy like Murray for other assets (draft picks, offensive help lost with Bread moving on). Murray is an injury waiting to happen, will be well North of $3 Million per season and I think Jones/Z, Savvy/Nuti, Vlad/Kukan with Harry as a #7 (and remember we still have Peeke in the pipeline) can more than hold their own while providing more cap flexibility.

Of course I may have just drank the Kool-aid.

 

[majormajor]

he will probably be a very serviceable 7th D.

So what did he do badly that made you think he's just a serviceable 7th D?

Kukan has been used as a #7 for years now and I've never seen him outmatched in his time in the lineup. Every time, going back years, he looks good to me. Now he gets thrust into a #4D role in the playoffs and again, not outmatched. Yes he can get tossed around, but he's agile enough to do well even in heavy contact. The skating is f***ing sublime, Pierre is right about that.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I felt like he would perform well in short spurts when called on but that he didn't sustain a level of play and became ineffective and easily dominated physically, which then impacted the things he had been doing really well like skating and his first pass. (Or maybe I was just trying not to bite as hard as I did on Goloubef.)

I know he played really well in international competition last summer, and he has looked solid in this playoffs. Perhaps (and maybe I've been wrong about this, but for the sake of the discussion) he has matured through some of those inconsistencies that I was seeing? In any case, Doggy's pairings do make for some interesting consideration.

 

[Viqsi]

When he's playing with confidence, he's awesome. When he's playing tentative, he's terrifying. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground with him.

So I'd definitely keep him in the lineup, but be prepared to do swap-outs as needed. And hope that he learns to keep his game at a decent level when he's doubting himself.

 

[stevo61]

I think with consistancy and confidence he could be as high as a number 4 for stints but a very solid 3rd pair guy. His skating alone is a huge assest and i noticed a few times he was stuck on the ice after an icing and would get the puck off the faceoff and just blow by the Tampa players, make the red line and get a change. When hes battling in corners or holding onto the puck for that extra second to get 1 more stride to wait for the play to open up he becomes extremely effective.
His issue has been that he will do all the right things but once hes in the lineup for awhile I guess maybe he settles in and thinks hes safe possibly. I guess hes like our defensive version of Bjorkstrand (with lower upside of course)

 

[EspenK]

So what did he do badly that made you think he's just a serviceable 7th D?

Kukan has been used as a #7 for years now and I've never seen him outmatched in his time in the lineup. Every time, going back years, he looks good to me. Now he gets thrust into a #4D role in the playoffs and again, not outmatched. Yes he can get tossed around, but he's agile enough to do well even in heavy contact. The skating is ****ing sublime, Pierre is right about that.

I didn't say "just" I said "very".

I also said "Assuming Murray returns healthy next season & Gavrikov performs as advertised he will probably be a very serviceable 7th D"

Someone has to be the 7th guy and if Murray is back & Gav is as advertised, who else is going to be 7th?

 

[majormajor]

I didn't say "just" I said "very".

I also said "Assuming Murray returns healthy next season & Gavrikov performs as advertised he will probably be a very serviceable 7th D"

Someone has to be the 7th guy and if Murray is back & Gav is as advertised, who else is going to be 7th?

I'm eager to see Gavrikov in the lineup but he has to play pretty well to go ahead of Kukan, in my opinion, just because of how good Kukan has been. He might, I'm just not going to assume it one way or the other.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Now you're cookin'

Would you say he's

Kukan with gas?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

He had a poor regular season (turned it around late though) and has been solid in the playoffs. Seems like a safe bet for his ceiling of bottom pairing puck mover.

 

[MoeBartoli]

When he's playing with confidence, he's awesome. When he's playing tentative, he's terrifying. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground with him.

So I'd definitely keep him in the lineup, but be prepared to do swap-outs as needed. And hope that he learns to keep his game at a decent level when he's doubting himself.

When you are on a short leash like he was during the regular season, confidence can be tested for many players. The skating and puck handling difference between him and Harry is significant. In many ways I see his game style wise as similar to Nuti's but he lacks the NHL game experience and some of the savvy that comes with that. There's at least 20 other teams for whom he'd be an entrenched 5/6 guy right now.

 

[JacketsFanWest]

Kukan definitely has been stepping up in the playoffs. Unfortunately with defensemen, many need to play and only learn through getting NHL experience. And that involves making mistakes. The question is whether they learn from them.

 

[WannabeFinn]

It’s just crazy that we finished the sweep against Tampa (Games 3 and 4) with Kukan, Harrington, and Clendening in the lineup.

Kukan seems to be really hit or miss. When he’s on, he’s a quality #5 or so. When he’s bad, he looks like he should be playing 2nd pair in Cleveland.

I like him as the 7th D for next season, assuming McQuaid/Harrington move along.

 

[majormajor]

Maybe I missed something. I rarely see him looking that bad or making many mistakes. It's just one or two every now and then, the same as any D-man. His issue in my mind is more about size and strength.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

I really started watching him in the playoff games because i thought that is where our D lineup got a little dicey.. Kukan paired with Harrington and then Clendening (thought the loss of Murray, McQuad and Nutti) was going to kill us. I am humbly eating crow right now Dean Kukan did look a lot like Nutti, maybe a little less likely to jump in and a little more defensive oriented, but he is a keeper in my opinion. He plays the game I thought we would get from Kris Russell. Kukan is a keeper. Shout out to David Savard... dude is a playoff warrior.

 

[mikeyp24]

It’s just crazy that we finished the sweep against Tampa (Games 3 and 4) with Kukan, Harrington, and Clendening in the lineup.

Kukan seems to be really hit or miss. When he’s on, he’s a quality #5 or so. When he’s bad, he looks like he should be playing 2nd pair in Cleveland.

I like him as the 7th D for next season, assuming McQuaid/Harrington move along.

Problem is if he is the 7th who are we moving? If he is the 7th that means soneone is traded or somehow Gavrikov is in the AHL which isnt going to happen Kukan is the 8 and a player who could be a #3 is sitting.
Jones/Murray Gavrikov/Z Savard/Nuti wait maybe im wrong he can be our 7th there. Lets reorder those lines jones/z savy/gavy Nuti/Murray. Thats the best D in the entire NHL book that shit.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Mikey, I haven't seen Gavrikov play yet.. other than a few youtube clips.. does he slot in with Savard then we have two defensive oriented guys on the 2nd line?

 

[CBJx614]

If everyone is healthy I honestly think we will all 3 pairings pretty evenly outside of Jones and Z getting PP time.

 

[mikeyp24]

Mikey, I haven't seen Gavrikov play yet.. other than a few youtube clips.. does he slot in with Savard then we have two defensive oriented guys on the 2nd line?

Savard has been activating quite a bit towards the end of the years and in the playoffs. The thing is I think the D we need to olay the most are Z, Jones, Savy. Those 3 have been amazing. We dont know whats going on with Nuti and his head since the Kuch hit and we dont know when Murray is coming back. What I 100% do know is out of Harry, Kukan, and Clendenning Gavrikov is the guy who needs to be playing the heavy top 4 over them and keep sheltering thise other 3 like we did all against TB. The thing is those guys are all solid #6s but its not just they arent on Gavs level they arent on the level below him he is that good no bullshit. Yes Gavrikov is an amazing defensive minded D but he also has amazing puck movement so he can start off plays behind net or help pass the parameter or cross seem. I no I always rave about his D but he has slowly been really rounding out his game and you could see it the last international tourny he played in.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

With Bobrosky Jones / Murray Savard / Wenenski Nuti/ Gavrikov we may have one of the best d cores in the game.. McQuad and Kukan - almost too good to keep them all. But - I don't like being practical when it comes to the CBJ.. keep them all.